3rd June 2015 Editor: Jill Varley
info@businesseventsnews.com.au www.businesseventsnews.com.au 1300 799 220
business events news Grace & favour
SCRATCH the surface of any of the older buildings in Sydney and you are bound to find a good story. Take The Grace Hotel with a story of thwarted plans, a stock market crash, hidden tunnels and ultimate redemption. It was built by the Grace Bros. retail empire and begins in 1926 when the two Grace brothers purchased a block of land on the corner of York, Clarence and King streets, to build the ‘Grace Building,’ a retail edifice perfectly positioned to take advantage of the planned public transport routes and the coming Sydney Harbour Bridge. Unfortunately, the opening was followed shortly afterwards by the Wall Street Crash with the ensuing market collapse in Australia severely affecting Grace Bros. With Australia at war in 1942, the Grace Building was requisitioned for use as headquarters by the Supreme Commander of allied forces in the south-west Pacific, General Douglas MacArthur. It is thought that the series of tunnels that run beneath York Street to Circular Quay, now used by Telstra, were connected to the basement of the Grace Building, housing secret emergency telephone equipment. In 1945 The Commonwealth of Australia compulsorily acquired the building and in 1953 a legal battle to reacquire it was won allowing Grace Bros’ retailing chain to further expand into Sydney’s suburbs. In 1995 the Grace Building was purchased by Kuala Lumpur based Low Yat Group and was reopened to the public as a hotel on 1 June, 1997. Today it operates as The Grace Hotel Sydney and remains one of Sydney’s best-known examples of pre-war architecture with an historic foundation like no other.
business events news
Tassie events bandwagon THE Tasmanian State Government will dish out an additional $400,000 over four years to increase Tasmania’s share of the business events market. Following the announcement in last week’s state Budget, Business Events Tasmania (BET) chief executive officer, Stuart Nettlefold, said the significant investment shows the Government has great confidence in the business events sector with a significant boost representing close to a 19% increase to the core funding provided annually to BET.
MEA strikes back MEETINGS and Events Australia (MEA) says its upcoming Event Show Sydney will become the “pre-eminent events show to be held out of Sydney on an annual basis”. Responding to claims by rival show Luxperience that it will offer “better return on investment” (BEN Mon), MEA ceo Linda Gaunt said “this show will not be a one hit wonder...[it] has ben established as an answer to market demand and will most definitely focus on ensuring that it attracts corporate buyers”. Gaunt said focus groups are currently in place to ensure buyers have input into the program and will support by attending. “The Event Show is not an after-thought nor is it tacked onto an existing show, it will provide sellers Australia-wide with the opportunity to enter the Sydney market,” she said. Gaunt said it would ensure it keeps both customised and “of the shelf” booth prices at a fair and reasonable rate. “The event is about growing the MEA offering to its members as well as encouraging others to join and be part of our growing network of business professionals with a common goal to build their business,” she concluded.
Today’s issue of BEN
“It’s great to see that the potential of our sector is being recognised at this level and it demonstrates the current strength of the industry in Tasmania, where we continue to see momentum building. “The business event delegate is the highest spending in the visitor economy, a fact that hasn’t been lost on the State Government in their push to see the Tasmanian tourism boom continue. “The additional funding will be used to increase BET’s sales resource, broaden our capacities in international markets, further develop our digital strategy and progress our important Ambassador Program,” he said.
Business Events News today has two pages of news plus a full page from (click) • Travel Industry Expo
Starwood Cvent deal
STARWOOD Hotels & Resorts Worldwide has today announced a new partnership with Cvent which will see planners who book meetings at Starwood properties worldwide offered a customisable app for their event. Technology service provider PSAV is also part of the deal, having worked with Cvent since 2013 to offer CrowdCompass mobile apps which can feature agendas, speaker bios, property info and presentations.
Sydney’s hidden rooftop gem
WHEN the heritage listed Holiday Inn Old Sydney, which recently underwent an upgrade to its Lobby Bar and a soft furnishing refresh to their Level 1 restaurant, invited some of the Sydney’s top conference and event organisers to a Vivid function last Thursday evening, they were surprised to find themselves on the hotel’s rooftop. Hailed as a real find, this hidden
gem in the heart of The Rocks, complete with a swimming pool and spa and available for medium size events, provided a spectacular viewing platform for Vivid that took in the Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and Circular Quay. Pictured above from left enjoying the view are David Dymott, CC Conferences; Dee Prendergast of IHG; and Danny Schroder from BCD M&I.
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